The Syracuse head coach used his post-game press conference to issue an invitation — 15,693 of them to be exact, the number of officially-recognized empty seats at Syracuse's home opener.

Syracuse's first game at the Carrier Dome this year, Shafer's Dome debut, drew an announced crowd of 33,299, the sixth-smallest opening-game crowd since the venue opened in 1980 and the lowest number ever for a new coach's debut.

In truth, the number of fans in attendance was much smaller. At least half the seats appeared empty.

"We look forward to continuing to ramp this up here in the Dome, make this a really difficult place to play and really have some fun with it," Shafer said. "We need all the help we can get. I'll start off right now by inviting the community and our fans to come out here and support this team."

For Syracuse's first three drives of the game, the stadium felt lifeless. It was what the team has come to expect.

"It's what I thought it was going to be," Hickey said. "It's what I anticipated. It's hard for fans to come out and support when we had the first two games we had. I can't blame them. I hope we get more and more as the year goes on, but it's what I expected."

There are plenty of valid reasons the game was a low-wattage affair.

The Orange looked lifeless themselves while absorbing a 48-27 thrashing from Northwestern last week. Wagner was an opponent from an inferior level and brought no brand-name recognition. And the dreams of glory that build in a fanbase during every offseason have been dampened by an 0-2 start and offensive struggles.

When asked specifically whether he was disappointed in the crowd, Shafer said he was not. Senior Robert Welsh and junior Sean Hickey both echoed that sentiment. None of them expect blind support.

"You sit there and you're like OK. ... there's not many people in the stands," Hickey said. "There's nothing bad or good about it. It's what I expected. It is what it is."

Most teams schedule easy opponents like Wagner as early as possible, relying on the newness of the season to generate excitement and build buzz.

If the Orange had beaten Wagner 54-0 in the opening game it might have been viewed as a positive sign of things to come. Having watched SU's first two games, most remain skeptical, waiting to see if the Orange can duplicate that effort against better opponents.

"I was so happy for the people that showed up and felt it worthy to pay to come in here," Shafer said. "We need to continue to put a great product on the field so people want to come. The best thing we can do to help our marketing department is to win games."

Joe Giansante, the athletic department's chief of communications, said the school had no disappointment in the attendance figures.

He said the school's freshman class has seemed especially engaged, buying tickets at almost double the rate of any other group of students.

Considering the opponent, the student section was filled out nicely, and the group spent the entire game on its feet, drawing praise from Shafer for its volume.

"We're extremely excited about our freshman class," Giansante said. "Those kids over there, the majority of them are freshman. That's the kind of thing that can change everything. The freshmen comes in and it becomes cultural for them. We're talking about how can we honor them for showing up? Can we send pizza to the dorms? There were a lot of games last year when it wasn't that full."

Giansante said the Orange plan to continue scheduling good opponents in New York City to elevate their profile and budget. While Syracuse may open with an easier stretch, moving forward it won't be a mandate.

With so many marquee teams taking on lesser opponents in the opening weeks, Syracuse believes a competitive opponent provides a better chance of the grabbing attention of fans and recruits from around the country.

Giansante pointed to the country's top football league, the SEC, as an organization that embraces that philosophy. Georgia faced Clemson in the country's marquee game during the season's opening week, and a middle-of-the-pack game between Vanderbilt and Mississippi was viewed as an intriguing option instead of a run-of-the-mill league game. Texas A&M vs. Alabama stole all the attention in Week 3.

"There's no opportunity to take advantage of if you don't give yourself the opportunity," Giansante said.

Syracuse didn't take advantage, though, and the result was a home atmosphere that felt flat.

The crowd did not roar to welcome the team as they trotted onto the field for the first time this season. The Orange's opponents were not deafened with noise when the Orange played defense.

The first passion shown by many in attendance came in a handful of boos after Drew Allen finished his third unsuccessful series.

Fans trickled into the game late, some arriving in the middle of the first quarter. In most sections, the silver of benches and concrete of the building was more visible than any orange.

An hour before the game the tailgaiting in the parking lots was subdued and quiet, with little music or palpable excitement. The school's quad, which hosts a family fun zone, was the same way.

The Carrier Dome was more flophouse than Loud House until Terrel Hunt's performance shifted its spirits.

Hunt was cheered as he jogged onto the field for Syracuse's fourth offensive series, and by the time he'd led the Orange into the end zone, a smattering of fans were pointing at the quarterback and nodding knowingly, their confidence rising with his.

For the first time all day, the Carrier Dome had a pulse.

Just like the win over Wagner, Syracuse hopes that is something to build on.